Dirt conditioner



G. W. STARK DIRT coNDITIoNER Nav. 22, 1927. '1,650,400 4 Filed July 9. 1925 J l E wo) o 00| A (on un] u n l 26 INVENTOR.

Patented Nov. 22, 1927.

GEQRGE W. STARK, OF MASON. MICHIGAN.

DIET GONDITIONER.

- Application ined :muyY e,

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a dirt conditioner, adapted for use in reducing the dirt to a finely pulverized form for planting and cultivation, the device being used for conditioning the dirt previous to planting and .for maintaining the dirt Vin the most ydesirable condition after planting. lt is an object of the present invention to provide a device of this class, which will be simple in structure, economicalof manufacture and highly efficient Vin use.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of this class, which inay be easily and quickly assembled.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a rotatable tooth bearing member driven by traction members, so arranged and connected to the traction membersV as to be inoperative when the traction members are rotated. rearwardly.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinationY and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed. v

The invention will be best understood from a reference to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and in which,

Fig. 1 is a sidey elevational view of the invention,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the invention,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on substantially line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

is shown'in the drawings, the invention comprises a frame having side rails 9 and "i connected. intermediate their ends, by the transversely extending rails 11 and 12.

(lonverging forwardly extending beams 13 and 14 project from the forward ends of the rails 9 and 19 and are adapted for attachment to a. tongue 15, by means of which the draft may be transmitted to the device. Journalled in suitable bearings 16 and 17 mounted on the side rails 9 and 10, at their rear ends, is a shaft 18, provided with thrust collars 19 and 20. Fixedly mounted upon the shaft 18, at opposite sides thereof, in spaced relation to each other, are discs 21 and 22, cach of which is provided with dovetailedY notches 23 for the reception 0f `a dove-tailed portion of the tooth bearing rails 24, V25, 26 and 27. As shown in the draw-- ings, these discs 22 and 21 are provided with four notches 23, to accommodate four of the 1925; Serial No. 42,360.

tooth bearing rails, although itv is apparent that the number may be diminished or increased, as desired. Mounted upon each of the rails 24, 25, 26 and 27 at intervals are 'teeth 8, the arrangement ofthe teeth on staggered relation. s` clearly seen in Fig. 3, each of the .teeth is secured to the inner face of one of the rails and a side face of another rail.

Fixedly mounted upon the shaft 18 is a sprocket wheel 29, which is connected by the sprocket chain 30 to a sprocket Wheel 31 mounted upon the shaft 32. The shaft 32 is Valso provided with a gear 33 meshing with a gear 34 which is mounted upon the shaft 35 journalled in bearings 36 and 37, the bearing 37 being mounted upon a rail 38 connecting the transversely extending rails 11 and 12, adjacent one end thereof. Loosely mounted on the shaft is a pair of drums 39 and 40, each of which is provided on its periphery with a plurality of outwardly eX- tending blades or vanes43, the number of the blades or vanes being optional. The drums 39 and 40 are each provided, at opposite ends with a spider 41', upon which are pivotally mounted pawls 41, which are designed to engage with a ratchet wheel 42 fixedly mounted upon the shaft 35.

The construction is such that when draft is transmitted to the tongue 15, the device may be pulled forwardly, the drums 39 andv serving as tract-ion members. As these drums rotate, the vanes or blades 43 will serve to loosen the ground over which the device is d rawn. The rotation of the drums in a forward direction will effect a rotation 1 ofthe sprocket Wheel 31, so as to rotate the shaft 18. It will be noted that'the sprocket wheel .31 is rlarger than the sprocket wheel 29, so that the discs 21 and 22, which carry the teeth bearing rails will rotate at a greater speed than the drums and this rotation is at a greater speed than the discs would be caused to rotate by traction, so that the teeth 28 will serve to move the dirt from normal position and have a tendency to break into fine pieces such clods as may be encountered.

If desired, thedrums may be replaced with ordinary traction wheels, so that the tooth bearing port-ion may be used for cultivating between rows of plants and t-he like.

It will be noted that when the device is backed up, theV pawls will ride idly, so that a rotation of the discs 21 and 22 will not be Vthe various rails bein such that they are in effected by the chain 30. It will be noted that the drums are separate and this is important inasmuch as when making a turn, one of the drums Will have a tendency to rotate forwardly and the other drum to rotate rearwardly.

The positioning of the rails 24, 25, 26 and 27, as Well shown in Fig. 3, is one Which forms aI durable structure-r While, at the same time, reducing to a minimum the 'material used therein.

IVhile I have illustrated and described the preferred form of structure, I do not Wish to limit myself to the precise form of structure showin but desire to avail myself of such Variations and modiiications as come Within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is: r

In a device of the class described, a frame; a rotatable shaft; a pair of discs pivotally mounted on said shaft in spaced relation to each other, each of `said discs having a plurality of peripheral dove-tailed notches; a plurality of rails, each of said rails being engageable, at its opposite ends in a notch in each of vsaidv discs; and a plurality of teeth mounted on each of said rails, each of said teeth being secured' to the face of at least tivo of said rails, said teeth being secured to the inner face of one rail and the 'Side face of another rail and means for rotating said shaft.

In testimony whereof, I havegsigned the foregoing specication.-

GEORGE W. STARK. 

